On June 24, 2021, THE EQUITY ran a story entitled “An accident waiting to happen.” This story underlined the dangers caused by the intersection on the west end of the four-lane highway in Luskville. In this section the highway is unsafe in part because the four-lane highway merges traffic into only two-lanes right as traffic approaches the Luskville strip mall. People are therefore forced to turn off and on to the highway . . .

while cars are either already going far too fast after driving on the four-lanes or spreading up to pass on the four-lanes.

When this issue was first brought to attention last year, Pontiac MNA Andre Fortin stated that “This is an intersection that simply isn’t safe,” and he pleaded with the Quebec Ministry of Transport (MTQ) to resolve the issue.

According to owner of “Dépanneur Général de Luskville”, Jeff Chugg, whose business is most affected by this intersection, since the publishing of the article over a year ago, the MTQ has done nothing to fix the problem. If anything the issues have become worse as the median has seen no maintenance by the MTQ which is a major cause of concern for Chugg.

According to Chugg, as of this spring the grass on the median was never mowed. This means that the earlier issue is exacerbated by low visibility at the intersection.

“Both Canada Day and St.Jean we had two close calls,” said Chugg when describing the danger of the low visibility in front of his Luskville business.

Chugg contacted the municipality over six weeks ago in order to work out the best way to move forward. MRC des Collines Mayor Roger Larose contacted the MTQ twice over email describing the issue and asking for permission to cross into their jurisdiction and send a municipal worker to cut the median. Both emails were left unanswered. This goes directly against the MTQ’s renewed client approach that is “based on listening and collaboration”, and against their mission statement that is based on providing “efficient and safe transportation systems.”

With the municipality unable to help and no response from the MTQ, Chugg was left to cut the median himself. This is not the first time Chugg cut the grass on the medium, explained Larose, “last time he did it, they told him he shouldn’t be doing it. But, we can’t wait.”

Chugg explained that this is a similar issue they face in the winter when the snow banks pile up on the median, impeding visibility.

Moreover, construction work to remove the median and replace it with a third center turning lane was originally scheduled to be started in summer 2021. This was officially pushed forward until spring 2022, however no work has started as of publication. THE EQUITY reached out to the MTQ for comment but they did not answer in time for publication.

The median being cut by Jeff Chugg in front of his Luskville business.

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